The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-31
CRkULE HUME LIFE.
Its Picturesque Environment
bravery Of the women Unuer
AdvrIsfiy.
iHarper's Basar /

reason Of their size and dignity.
Many OF them are built around an
open court, ipsuriUg plenty OF light
aud air for each room. About an
old house of this kind is an atmos-
phere of large comfort and easy going
content. There is no sparing OF
ground in inclosiDg the yard; in
deed, its dimensions are large enough
to warrant the name OF park. Always
the house is built far back in the
yard, partly for privacy, partly to es-
cape the tooth OF the tawny lion that
chafes and irets and gnaws the levees
that would confne him between their
banks. Every now and then this
monster Mississippi makes hideous
meal of some fair garden.
These houses are sure TO be we'll
shaded with luxuriant foliage. Pc.
cans and live oaks, orange and lemon
trees, Grape myrtle and oleauder, and
a wilderness OF sweet smelling shrubs
adOrn the grounds, while roses and
jasmines riot everywhere. In the
rear of this wilderness Of flowers lie
the vegetable aud fruit gardens, the
poultry yard aud dove cots, musical
with The soft cooings Of innumerable
doves. When the creole builded his
house in the city"-New Orleans
there was some difference in struc-
ture. The house opened on the
street, and a gray stone arched en-
trance gave admission to the porte
cochere, by which the interior was
reached. High walls defoed the
limits Of this territory, deiying the
scrutiny OF possible prying neigh
bors. The French quarter abounds
today in these old houses, the out
side giving no hint oil the beauty OF
the interior. The dingy lesert OF
tagged yard smiles aud bios.
SONS at every few steps into
Gases Of brilliant flowers and
shrubs. Along the length Of tho
garden wall runs q raised bed Of
rich soil, and here riot aud chamber
a taDgle of creeping vines that thrust
myriad fingers into every crack and
craony, and each in rivalry of its
neighbor racing headlopg TO the tor
TO wave triumpha tly aloft, ia toke
OF victory, long dropping pennons Of
green. Bubbling, sparkling fouut.
aims rise and fall in the sunlight
aud in sheltered hooks one catches
elimpses OF great yellow water Jars
biz enough to hold the famous forty
OF the Arabian Nights. These jarl
vera once used TO hold the drinking
water OF the family - Mississippi
water which had been filtered and
which the creole preferred TO rain
water. There is a saying current
that whoever has once drunk Missis.
sippi water, or whose garments have
once been stained by contact with
Louisiana soil, will be so Srough,
upon by the magic spell that, 20
where he will, he will yearn for
Louisiana skies.
The balconies OF such house are
transformed into cool arbors by vines
which lay their long fingers upon
everything within reach. Behind
the vines, 10 improvised beds, grow
and blilhely bloom many bright hued
flowers. Gagged birds trill and pipe
and chirp aud MARBLE, seeming to
have lost all sense Of having once
been free wild things. The salons
which open upon these galleries are
lofty, spacious apartments, shut of
from each other by means OF great
mahogany folding doors. The door
kuobs Of quaiot designs and curious
tracery OF surface are ot pure silver.
Much handsome wainscoiing OF rare
woods is 10 be seen, aud the beauti-
iul floors OF black cypress we're the
pride OF the creole house keeper who
10 the old days rarely used carpets.
but preferred handsome mats and
rugs Of rich, brilliant colors. The
furniture OF these old houses was
costly and handsome, the most of il
having been imported, as the owners
held the American taste OF that day
III contempt. Some families yet 70.
tain their old furnishings, but pow
er y has forced many to sell them.
How many bits OF rich aud curious
bronze aud brass and erystal and
mosaic, how many rare volumes,
have found their way into the dim,
dirty little second hand shopsl Buy
ers IRON the North are ever on a
sharp lookout for this aOtsam and
jetsam.
Nowhere else 10 America arc 10 be
found the spacious cauopied beds,
the vast armoires with mirrored
doors, the quaint spindle legged
dressing tables, the massive side
boards aud carving tables, the huge
dining tables, the antique cabinets
rich with carving and dark with age,
mosaic tables. aud drawing room
suits OF tho time OF Louise Quatorze,
as are TO be seen in some creole
houses 10 town ADD country. These
memorials are dear TO their posses.
sors, who cling TO the fashions OF
their ancestors 10 a wholly un. Amer
lean way. Their homes, handed
down from one generation 10 another,
with such shanges AZ are only abso-
lut'ly necessary 10 the inmates, are
their most sacred possessions, about
which cluster their iondest memo.
ries aud hopes. Even the creole who
lives Ia a rental house rarely makes
the acquaintance Of the mover cart,
clingiog with limpet like tonacity TO
It's walls, sometimes evea unto Il Q
second generation.
The creole housekeeBer drapes
her windows and doors with soft,
flowing curtains, rarely using the
stiff. hidsous Holland shades She
believes ia portiers, aud by means of
these large room can be cunuiugly
furnished with the most private 1T
tie hooks imaginable. She has not
yet been converted TO the passion for
bric-a. brac, and her walls are not
tattooed with the multitude of mean
insless decorations that strain the
eye in the average modern drawing
room.
Many croolos yet own good paint
ings, aud these, with family por.
traits, photographs Of friends and
.uA aItuaal tuy.. NJ. -.